[AusNOG] 3G alternate backhaul?

[Ben Dale]

If you really mean internet backhaul, then yes - you would ask your mobile provider for a private APN (the 3G equivalent of a Wi-Fi SSID) which you would then register all your client's devices on to (which will still need something akin to per-handset SIM ACLs to enforce).  

Your provider will then tunnel all the traffic generated by your client's devices to a termination point and you can pipe that into whatever internet backhaul you want.

Be aware though that your mobile provider will still charge you per KB data on the 3G side, along with whatever your transit provider charges you for actual internet traffic (along with whatever it costs to tunnel from your mobile provider).

I'm pretty sure that's not what you mean though - trying to provide a dedicated cell for existing devices will require the use of dedicated spectrum ($$$), per-handset ACLs/APNs and roaming agreements (which network(s) are the devices going to end up on when they leave your site) which will probably make this all too hard.

Back in the mid-naughties I worked with Alcatel END when they were promoting the idea of GSM micro-cells for keeping mobile calls at fixed-line rates while you were on your campus.  Unfortunately the intricacies of negotiating with mobile carriers, while simultaneously sticking one to them proved to be too much of a challenge and it never got off the ground here.

Ben

> -----Original Message-----
> From: ausnog-bounces at lists.ausnog.net [mailto:ausnog-bounces at lists.ausnog.net] On Behalf Of Paul Gear
> Sent: Wednesday, 16 March 2011 2:06 PM
> To: AusNOG
> Subject: [AusNOG] 3G alternate backhaul?
> 
> Hi all,
> 
> I'm investigating a problem for a client for which we'd like to know
> whether it's possible (and economically feasible) to provide a
> campus-based 3G base station which would use our Internet backhaul
> rather than their carrier's.
> 
> In discussions with our mobile carrier we've been told that this is not
> possible because they don't sub-lease their spectrum license, and any
> access which we provide on our campus must also be available to the
> general public who might happen by, unless we do per-handset SIM ACLs
> (which is not feasible in this instance).
> 
> Are there any alternatives to this?  Is there any product/service
> offering on the market which would allow us to provide an alternate
> Internet backhaul for 3G devices?
> 
> If this is a little too close to the fringes of relevance for AusNOG,
> please feel free to tell me to take it elsewhere, or to keep replies
> off-list.
> 
> Thanks,
> Paul
> 
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